All the world's on a stage

KEVIN GUTTINGFormer JFK Middle School teacher Arlene Kowal, left, now a coordinator with the Massachusetts Geography Alliance, helps JFK sixth-graders Carys Jackson and Kaylee Sullivan LeBoeuf to exit EarthView, a 20-foot inflatable globe, after their class had a short geography lesson inside the structure set up in the school's gym Wednesday. Purchase photo reprints »

KEVIN GUTTINGVernon Domingo, professor of geography at Bridgewater State University and a coordinator at the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance, introduces JFK Middle School sixth-graders to EarthView, a 20-foot inflatable globe set up in the school's gym Wednesday. The students then doffed their shoes for a unique geography lesson from inside the globe. Purchase photo reprints »

KEVIN GUTTINGJFK Middle School sixth-graders Lazarus Barker, left, and Haylee Hoffman, right, listen to a presentation by Vernon Domingo, professor of geography at Bridgewater State University and a coordinator at the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance, conducted inside EarthView, a 20-foot inflatable globe that was set up in the school's gym Wednesday. Purchase photo reprints »

According to your link the balloon is from Bridgewater State Univ which is a taxpayer funded institution so we most likely did pay for it. Whether it was at the state level or the city of N'ton is not relevent. Also I started out in my first post by saying I did not know how this was funded but was using this to illustrate what I consider govt waste. I was mostly trying to make a point that in this day and age when we borrow 40 cents of every dollar to run government, the social security trust funds will be insolvent in 20 years and medicare sooner than that, don't we need to question how every tax dollar is spent? That was my point. Soon we will be aksed for another tax override and the old threats will come out about no money for pencils at the schools or the fire dept won't be there when your house is burning down. Are these the tools that are the most cost effective way to motivate kids to enjoy learing in this age of budetary constraints? I never needed that when I was in school and I can tell you where every country on earth is.

gary2066 wrote:

03/15/2014

The average government worker gets $51,000 in retiree pension income from the state. In California the average is over $81,000/year. This doesn't include healthcare benefits that nobody else gets. Can we afford these ballons? The children will be paying the retiree's benefits and will have nothing for themselves.

Theresa1 wrote:

03/15/2014

Obviously we do not live in the same world, Gary. Your mind is so caught up in your political view points that you don't seem to be able to grasp new information in order to formulate and express a cohesive thought. We don't have to afford the balloons, because we did not pay for them. When I last responded to you someone told me not to feed the trolls. That advice makes sense to me now. Enjoy living in your little bubble of anger and misunderstanding.

Theresa1 wrote:

03/14/2014

Gary, What the heck are you talking about? Did you read the caption? Maybe get off this site for a minute and use Google to find the answer to your question rather than go off like this?
---------------------------- Here, this should answer your questions. http://www1.bridgew.edu/EarthView/ --------------------------"Ignorance of geography is a threat to our national security," -Dr. Harm de Blij, one of the foremost geographic educators in the United States.--------------------------We are an advanced society that is constantly striving to engage children in the learning experience. This seems to be an exciting, well researched way to get kids interested in geography.

gary2066 wrote:

03/14/2014

Could this by why our taxes are through the roof? I don't know how this is funded but do we need a giant balloon to teach geography? On the federal level we borrow 40 cents of every dollar from oil rich nations in the middle east and communist China. Social security will run out of money in 20 years and medicare sooner than that. We have $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities these kids will have to pay. When I grew up we had one outing a year at Look Park or we walked across the street to the Academy of Music for a show (1 per year max). This is why our per pupil expenses are so out of control. That and building a new palace of education every few years so the teachers can work in luxury. And of course - the benefits and retiree healthcare they get that nobody else in the world gets. Does Mayor Narkowicz have a city provided car? Why don't we know that yet?